Means for arresting leaks in steam-superheaters.



L S. WATHES.

MFANS FOR ARRESTING LEAKS IN STEAM SUPERHEATERS, APPUCATION man APR.!9,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEEY Milf wh/ame@ L. S. WATRES.

MEANS FOR ARRESTING LEAKS IN STEAM SUPERHEATERS. APPLICATION FILE-D APR.19. 191'3.

Ll 9,64. Patented-July 4, 1916.

2 SHEETShSHEET 2.

oNiTED STATES PATENT LEWIS WATRES, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL GRAPHITE LUBRICATOR COMPANY, 0F SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPO- y RATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR ARRESTING LEAKS IN STEAM-SUPERHEATERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed pril 19, 1913. Serial N o. 762,380.

boilers there is usually a head or manifold to which saturated steam is admitted and with or in which are coupled a plurality ofk superheating units. The couplings or lioints. of the superheatmg units with the manifold constitute the most vulnerable part in such a boiler for the reason that there are a' pluJ rality of such connections subject to expan` sion and contraction and liable therefor to develop leaks. The purpose of this iiiveiition is to arrest such leaks in their incipiency. To accomplish this there is introduced into the saturated steam an approy priate quantity of finely divided pulverized'v or flocculent graphite. The graphite remains unchanged by the high temperatures yand is notI subject to variation because of fluctuation in temperature. It deposits in all small crevices incident to an incipient leak and constitutes an etiicient and durable plug, packing or stopping therefor.

It is not intended to limit the invention yto an association or combination of devices of specific character. Many ways of introducing graphite' into a steam engine or other driving or driven apparatus for purposes of lubrication have been pioposed. Such of them as are practicable may be employed in the present invention. Thus there have been various plans for so feeding small quantitics of finely divided graphite from a hopper or reservoir containing it. S0 far as I know, however, the best form of so feeding finely divided graphite is that disclosed in Letters Patent of the "United States No. 1,017.98?) granted to Lewis S. Watres February 20. 1912. In this application therefore the use of the apparatus of that patent is illustrated and the present invention shown applied to a locomotive steam superheating boiler.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective'view, partly broken away,V

Patented July LI, .1916.

l indicates the shell of a boiler; Q the stack thereof; 3. the saturated steam pipe; i the manifold into which it leads; and 5 a plurality of steam superheating units connected in the bottom of the manifold. This is all well known by thoseskilled .in the art and detailed illustrations 'or more specific description is unnecessary. Since the finely divided graphite is to be introduced to the openings of the various superheating units` the means for supplying it mayV obviously be associated directly with the saturated steam pipe or directly with the manifold, or at any point where it will be taken "up by the saturated steam. In the drawing there is shown an upwardly extending tube 6 which is fitted in the steam pipe 3 just before it' turns down to the manifold.l This pipe extends through the top of the boiler. the joint being made steam tight. "At the top the pipe opens into or carries a hollow body T of appropriate strength to stand the steam pressure; and within this chamber is rotatably mounted a grinding, ahrading or cutting member 8 shown in this instance, as fixedly mounted upon a rotatable shaft 9 extending'through the wall' of the chamber being provided with' suitable packing. Above the abrading member S is a chamber 10, formed by an extension of the casting, provided with a removable closure cup 11. As explained in the patent hereinbefore referred to, inV

the chamber 10 is deposited a block, stick olf-cylinder of compressed graphite molded under pressure with a suitable binder which block rests upon the surface of theabrading member Vand which, if desirable,`may= be pressed into more intimate Contact therewith by. way of a spring pressed follower 12. It will thus be seen that, while the aiiparatus is in operation, the graphite is fed to the steam in'a continuous attenuated streain, thus insuring a thorough intermixture with the steam leading to `quick and perf( t results and economy in the use of the graphite for the purpose ot this invention. Since the graphite comminuting or dividing apparatus is loeated at a point rendering it somewhat inconvenient to actuate it by meansot' a mechanical connection with some moving part ot the eugine: or` since it may not be most convenient to operate it by means ot' a pressure diaphragm operatingl according to the general plan disclosed in the betorementioued patent7 I propose to use a small turbine or impulse motor operated by steam from the boiler and located in appropriate eontiguity to the graphite abrading mechanism. There. is formed integrally with the hollow body T, or appropriately at- -tached thereto, a chambered extension 13 within which a motor wheel is appropriately rmounted, of which 14 is the shaft.

The steam pipe tor this motor ismarked' 15 and the exhaust pipe 1G. Since the speed of such a motor may be greater than that desirable7 for that ot the abradingr wheelA` there is fixed on the motor shatt 1J( a pinion 17, that meshes with an intermediate gear 18 on whose shat't is a pinion 19 that meshes with a gear 2() on shat't El. This train ont reducing gear is contained ina chamber 21 formed also on the side of casting 7. l

Any suitable means ot controlling or governing'the speed ot' the motor may be employed. order that the amount ot graphite supplied may be' regulated.

Particles of the finely divided graphite will lodge in any crevice', and if an incipient leakyexists the drat't or suction thereotl will diretltly carry the particles ot graphite to and into the creviees and so build up therein a plug` or packing that will ei'ectively stop the leak. (')t course. the finely divided graphite so ted to the superheating unitswill. in part. be carried by the steam entirely through the superheating system and be. delivered with the steam, in which it is in suspension, to the steam chest ot thel patent.

It is desirable'to control it inA locomotive'land ultimately to the valves and piston and cylinder surfaces7 serving to ett'eetiyely lubricate the same after the manner set out in the before mentioned A turther feature of the system herein diseloswl is that the graphite will Jform a thin film or coating on the interior surfaces ot' the .superheating units and prevent or reduce the deposit ot' scale thereon, thereby maintaining the eflieiency ot the superheating system of the boiler.

l claim:

l.. In a steam superheater, the combination with superheating tubes and a header in which' they are connected.v ot means tor supplying saturated steam to the header and means tor delivering finely divided graphite in an attenuated stream to the saturated steam.

2. The. combination with a steam, super heater comprising a saturated steam pipe, a manitold connected with said pipe, and a plurality ot superheating units joined to the manifold; of means for introducing finely divided graphite into that part ot the superheater through which the superheated steamr passes whereby the insoluble particles of graphite are caused to close steaiii-tight incipient leaks in the joints ot the; superheating units.

Y 3. In a steam superheater, the combination with a saturated steam pipe, a plurality of superheating units and a manifold eonneetingpthe saturated steam pipe and such units, of a connection extending from the saturated steam pipe, means for introducing finely divided graphite into said connection and a steam actuated motor for driving said graphite supplying means and means for supplying steam to the motor.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

. LICIVIS S. VATRES. ATt'itnesses IRENE It. FLYNN,

Hnnnx nn MOYA. 

